Method of making curvilinear elastic fabric



Aug. 12, 1930. J. MOORE METHOD OF MAKING CUR'JILINEAR ELASTIC FABRIC Filed OGL. 8, 1929 Z'wJerr/r. 70W; 7 2700/22. a ma Patented Aug. 12 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC JOHN V. MOORE, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO MOORE FABRIC COH- PANY, F PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND mn'rnon or MAKING CURVILINEAR EtAsTIc FABRIC Application filed October 8, 1929. Serial No. 398,220.

lhis invention relates to a method'of mak ing curvilinear elastic fabric suitable for the manufacture of belts or garters or for other similar purposes. I g

It is the object of my invention to provide an improved method by which curvilinear elastic fabric canbe produced with great facility and at decreased cost.

A further object of the invention is to pro- 1 vide a method which permits a simplification.

of the machinery used in producing such fabric.

My invention particularly relates to a certain selection and sequence of operating steps by which my improved method may be most effectually practiced.

Certain mechanism applicable to the car-- rying out of'my improved methodis shown in the drawings in which Fi 1 is a diagrammatic side 'elevatlon of Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are fragmentary 'plan views of different portionsof the apparatus, looking in the direction of the correspondin 1y numbered arrows'in' Fig. 1;

1g. dis a plan view ofa portion of my improved fabric at an initial step in its production; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a improved and finished fabric.

' In the production of curvilinear. elastic fabric, it has been thepractice to weave the fabric in a narrow-ware loom, using a conical take-up roll and commonly having special provision forsupplying the warp threads in graduated lengths. k

N arrowware looms having these special provisions for the production of curvilinear fabric are highly expensive in first cost, limited in production, andnot readily adapted to the weaving of different widths and curvatures. I

By my improved method, I first produce a straight, narrow elastic fabric which may be woven'in any narrow-ware loom and withportion of my out any special or additional equipment.-

Such a loom may be quickly adapted to produce fabric of any desired width or structure and is not limited in its utility, as has been portihns of a sizing and drying mechanism;

the case heretofore in looms linear fabric.

Having produced a straight narrow elastic fabric, as indicated in Fig. 6, I then treat the fabric, with a suitable sizing and cause the fabric to be dried while maintained under tension and in the desired curvilinear shape.

By thus sizing the fabric and drying the fabric under such tension as will produce a curvilinear shape, I find that this desired shape is retained by the fabric after drying and that a curvilinear elastic fabric may be thus produced which is entirely suitable for producing curvivery many purposes. Such a fabric is equal I in appearance to a fabric which is wovenv curvilinear and will retain its curvilinear shape-indefinitely if not exposed to excessive moisture.

1 In the drawings I have indicated a form of mechanism by which the curvilinear shape may be imparted to the straight woven fabric and by which this curvilinear shape may be retained. during the drying operation.

- Referring to the drawings, I have indicated a sizing bath 10 to which the fabric F- is guided by sectional conical guide-rolls 12 i and 14. Preferably, the lower roll 12 isv a formed with a succession of short conical surfaces, one for each strip of fabric F to be treated, and a separate presser roll 14 is provided for each conical section of the guideroll 12. A guide-roll 16 having similar conical sections. is mounted in the bath 10 and directs the fabric as it enters and-leaves the sizing bath.

A squeeze roll 20 formed in conical 'sections is mounted above thebath 10 and separate conical pressure rolls 22 .engage the pieces of fabric-as they are drawn upward .by the squeeze roll 2O. The pieces of fabric, then pass through guide members 24 to drying drums 30, two of them being shown in the drawings. These drums 30 are in the form of hollow heated cylinders, with their surfaces. formed in a series of conical sections, as indicated in Fig. 5.

- While I have shown only two drying drums or cylinders in the' drawing, it will be under-- stood that any number of additionalcylinloo ders may be employed, the usual number being six or eight cylinders.

- In the operation of the described mechanism, the fabric is drawn under more or less tension through the bath 10, which preferably contains a hot sizing solution. This hot size tends to shrink or contract the elastic fabric, but the shrinkage is to a considerable extent limited to the edge of the fabric engaged by the smaller circumference of the several conical rolls. There is thus a more or less pronounced shortening of one edgeof the fabric as it is drawn through and over the several rolls and a more orless definite curvilinear set is given to the shortened fabric by the squeeze roll and pressure rolls 22 which have-the eifect of compacting the sized and contracted material.

The fabric thus receivesa quite pronounced curvilinear set before engaging the conical sections of the drying cylinders andby such engagement a definite curvature is produced and this curvature is fixed and retained by the dryin operation, at thesame time ironing the fa ric and giving it a desirablefinish.

While I have indicated the guide-rolls 12 and 16, the squeeze roll 20 and the pressure rolls 14 and 22 as having conical surfaces, more or less satisfactory results maybe attained if these several members are provided with plain cylindrical surfaces, so long as the drums 30 are formed in conical sections by which the strips of fabric F are held under tension'and in curvilinear shape during the drying operation.

Bythoroughly sizing the fabric and by selecting the proper inclination for the, conical surfaces of the cylinders 30, a curvilinear fabric of satisfactory finish and of any desired degree of curvilinear shape may be rapidly and economically produced. Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, ll do not wish to be limited to'the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is i 1. The process of making a curvilinear elastic fabric which consists in weaving a piece of elastic fabric whichis substantially straight when removed from the loom and unrestrained, sizing the woven fabric, and forc: ing the fabric to conform to a predetermined curvilinear shape during the subsequent drying operation, thereby imparting a definite curved shape thereto.

2. The process of making a curvilinear elastic fabric which consists in weaving a piece of straight elastic fabric, sizing the fabric, curving said fabric by placing the fabric under longitudinal. tension progres- I sively increased from edge to edge of the fab ric, and drying the sized fabric while thus tensioned.

3. The process of making a curvilinear piece off-straight elastic fabric, sizing said fabric, curving said fabric by placing the fabric under longitudinal tensionon a curved forming surface, and drying the fabric while thus under tension;

4. The process of making a curvilinear elastic fabric which consists in weaving a piece of straight elastic fabric, sizing andv shrinking the woven fabric, drying the sized fabric and holding the fabric in curvilinear shape during the sizing, shrinking and drying operations. x

6. The, process of making a curvilinear elastic fabric which consists in weaving a piece of elastic fabric which is substantially straight when removed from the loom and unrestrained, sizing the woven fabric, and

drying the fabric by holding the fabricin firm contact with conical surfaces on drying cylinders until dry, thereby imparting a predetermined curvilinear shape thereto.

In testimony whereof I have hereuntoaffixed my signature.

- JUHN V. MOORE. 

